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(No Model!) 3. s. MERRILL. SHAFT 0R POLE IRON FOR VEHICLES.

3 Patented Nov. 27, 1883.

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Attor- UNITED Srn'rns RUFUS S. MERRILL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF 'lO DANIEL A. JOHNSON, OF SAME PLACE.

SHAFT OR POLE IRON FOR VEHICLES.

SPEGIFIG'ATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 289,015, dated November 27, 1883.

Application filed May 14, 1883. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUFUs S. MERRILL, of Boston, in the State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Shaft or Pole Irons, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to irons which are used to re-enforce shafts at the rear bend, adjoining the point where they are attached to the carriage. The usual shaft-iron is made flat-about one-fourth of an inch thickand is applied to the shaft at the bend on the under side, being there held by bolts passing through the shaft and the iron. Notwithstanding the use of such a shaft-iron, the shaft is liable to break, and in fact. does often break, at this point when thehorse backs quickly, or when any sudden shock or strain comes on the shaft in backing the carriage. This is due in partto the weakness or lack of stiffness of the shaft-ironitself, and in part to the weak ness of the shaft and the iron, due to the removal of the material from both of them in order to provide bolt-holes.

It is the object of my invention to remedy this defect; and the manner in which 1 obtainthis result can best be explained and understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation, Fig. 2 is a bottom View, and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal cen tral section, of a shaft provided with my improved shaft-iron.

The shaft A is of usual form, with a bend at the rear, as shown. The body of the shaft-iron is composed ofafiat plate, B, of iron, which is applied to the concave under side of the shaft at the bend, as usual, and is bent or shaped to conform to the curvature of the shaft at this point. The plate B terminates at the rear in an eye, a, for the passage of belt or pin which holds the shaft to the vehicle, and is bolted at its rear and front ends to the shaft, as indicated.

In order to stiffen and render rigid the shaftiron, I form on the under face of plate B a longitudinal central rib or web, B, which is of such length as to re-enforce the bent or curved part of the iron, and virtually to span the bend of the shaft. When the shaft iron is thus made and applied to the shaft, the bent portion of the shaft is rendered quite as strong and as capable of resisting sudden strain as any other portion of the shaft, and all weakness at the point is removed. It is of course necessary to bind the bent portion of the shaftiron and shaft together, and this, as hereinbefore stated, has usually been done by means of bolts passing through the shaft-iron and shaft. To avoid the weakening of the shaft, due to forming bolt-holes in its bent portion, I make use of a band, C, which encircles and tightly binds together the shaft-iron and shaft,

and is held in place by being bolted to the web or rib B, said band for this purpose be ing provided with ears I), which fit closely against the web B, and are bound thereto by a bolt, 0.

Having now described my improvement, what I claim as new and of my invention is 1. A shaft-iron provided with a longitudinal I web, B, which stands at right angles to the face of the iron, and spans the portion of the latter which is applied to the bend of the shaft, as set forth.

2-. The combination of the shaft, the shaftiron provided with web B, and the clampingband encircling the shaft and shaft-iron at the bend of the shaft and secured to the web, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 9th day of May, 1883.

RUFUS S. MERRILL.

Witnesses:

E. A. DICK, J. WALTER BLANDFORD. 

